Leading Edge Robotic Surgery Performed In Athens, Georgia
State-of-the-art thoracic care delivered by board-certified surgeon, Dr. Chris Malone.
Innovative Thoracic Care
Close to Home
The purpose of thoracic surgery is to treat diseased or injured organs of the chest–most often the result of lung cancer, chest trauma, or esophageal cancer.
Dr. Chris Malone is committed to providing innovative and safe alternatives to traditional open surgical procedures.
Dr. Malone performs these surgeries with unmatched precision.
For you, the benefits of minimally invasive surgery can make all the difference in your recovery.
Smaller incisions heal faster while lowering the risk of infection and shortening the length of hospital stays. You may also experience less pain and less scarring as you heal.
Using state-of-the-art robotic assisted technology like Da Vinci or video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), Dr. Malone can perform complex and delicate procedures through small incisions.
- Thoracoscopy using VATS and/or Robotic Assisted Technology (da Vinci®)
- Lobectomy
- Pneumonectomy
- Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy
If it is determined you need a general thoracic surgical procedure, Dr. Malone will perform your surgery at the highly rated St. Mary’s Health Care System in Athens.
Dr. Malone performs robotic-assisted surgery as well as traditional open surgeries in the hospital environment.
Meet Dr. Chris Malone
Dr. Chris Malone is a Fellow of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS). Being a board-certified surgeon means that Dr. Malone maintains the highest credentials, skill, and ethics of his chosen profession.
Well-known in Athens, having practiced in the area as a vascular, cardiac, and thoracic surgeon since 1994, Dr. Malone is one of the first surgeons in Georgia using the Da Vinci® Surgical System to perform state-of the-art, minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery in the area.
Is Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Right For You?
While minimally invasive surgery effectively reduces recovery time and provides the surgeon greater control, these options aren’t right for everyone.
To determine if your age, current health condition, or surgical history make you a candidate for this next generation of thoracic care or if a more traditional surgery is right for you, schedule an appointment today.
Personalized Care For
Every Stage Of Lung Cancer
At Athens Vein & Aesthetics, we’re dedicated to providing personalized care for every type and stage of lung cancer or other cancers in the chest.
The goal of your treatment plan is to give you an exceptional outcome that focuses on your quality of life while optimizing lung function.
Your care plan will take a multi-therapy approach designed around your individual diagnosis.
Treatment decisions are based on the type and stage of lung cancer you have. Small cell and non-small cell lung cancers require their own approach.
Cancers Are Assigned A Stage From 1-4 In Order Of Severity:
1
Stage 1
Your cancer is still confined to the lung.
2
Stage 2
The cancer has grown, but it hasn’t spread
3
Stage 3
The cancer has grown larger and has possibly spread.
4
Stage 4
The cancer has spread to other organs of your body.
Symptoms Of Lung Cancer
- Chronic hacking with raspy coughing that sometimes presents with blood-streaked mucus
- A new cough that doesn’t go away
- Changes to a chronic cough (smoker’s cough)
- Recurring respiratory infections like bronchitis or pneumonia
- Increasing shortness of breath – wheezing or persistent chest pain
- Hoarseness
- Swelling of the neck or face
Offering Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment For Lung Cancer
Surgery is the preferred treatment in most cases of early stage non-small cell lung cancer. Lung cancer surgery can involve removing a small portion of your lung or the entire lung.
At Athens Vein & Aesthetics, Dr. Malone uses less invasive types of surgery whenever possible to treat patients with lung cancer. These methods provide you a recovery time that is quicker than with traditional surgery.
Your Personal Treatment Plan
Your specific treatment plan may include the following procedures performed using robotic or thoracoscopic VATS technology:
- Wedge resection to remove a small section of the lung that contains the tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue.
- Segmental resection that allows for removal of a larger portion of the lung, but less than an entire lobe.
- Lobectomy to remove an entire lobe of the lung
- Pneumonectomy to remove the entire lung